.jpg) HMSUniversal, 16 October 1943 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSUniversal |
| Builder | Vickers-Armstrongs,Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Laid down | 5 September 1941 |
| Launched | 10 November 1942 |
| Commissioned | 8 March 1943 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, June 1946 |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | U-classsubmarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 58.22 m (191 ft) |
| Beam | 4.90 m (16 ft 1 in) |
| Draught | 4.62 m (15 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Complement | 27-31 |
| Armament |
|
HMSUniversal (P57) was aRoyal NavyU-classsubmarine built byVickers-Armstrongs atNewcastle upon Tyne. So far she has been the only ship of theRoyal Navy to bear the nameUniversal.
Universal was laid down atVickers-Armstrongs,Newcastle upon Tyne in September 1941, launched in November 1942 and commissioned in March 1943.
She spent most of the war in theMediterranean, where she sank the Italian auxiliary patrol vessels V 130/Ugo and V 134/Tre Sorelle, the Italian merchantLa Foce, the German auxiliary gunboatSG 15 (the former FrenchRageot de la Touche), the German merchantsPresident Dal Piaz andCanosa (the former FrenchCorsa), the German GuardboatFMa 06 (the former FrenchGuarani) and the German auxiliary minesweeperPetrel.Universal also damaged the Spanish sailing vesselSevellina and the Italian tanker (in German control)Cesteriano, which was later towed toToulon.Universal also fired a torpedo against what is identified as an enemy auxiliary minesweeper. They claimed to have damaged the so far unidentified ship.
Universal survived the war and was sold to be broken up for scrap in February 1946. On 3 February, on passage from Foyle, Northern Ireland, to Newport, Monmouthshire, under the command of Lieut-Commander W.F.N. Main R.N.R. her engines failed and the following morning she was taken in tow by the destroyerHMS Southdown. With the weather deteriorating the tow broke eight or nine times and was eventually abandoned. Lifeboats fromAberystwyth,New Quay andFishguard attended over 24 hours, standing by in heavy seas untilUniversal's crew had to abandon ship.[1]
She was scrapped at Milford Haven in June 1946.
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